World Industries

World Industries, Inc.
Company typePrivate
FoundedMarch 1989
FoundersSteve Rocco, Jesse Martinez ,Rodney Mullen, Mike Vallely
Headquarters
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
,
United States
Key people
Rodney Mullen, Steve Rocco, Mike Vallely, Frank Messmann, Scott Drouillard, Marc McKee
ProductsSkateboarding equipment, clothing, shoes, accessories, videos; snowboards, outerwear, etc.
OwnerINA Sports Inc. & FGL Sports Ltd.
ParentGVS America
Websiteworldindustries.com

World Industries is an American brand that offers skateboarding products, accessories and clothing. The company was founded by Steve Rocco in 1987. In 1988, Rocco was joined by skater, Rodney Mullen, and then Mike Vallely in 1989. As of 2014, World Industries operates under GVS America, a subsidiary of INA Sports Inc. & FGL Sports Ltd.[1] The company also makes and sells longboards.

The company was initially known for its cavalier attitude through its marketing and handling of their team riders, most notably through their use of attack ads mocking rival skate companies as well as board designs that are either deemed offensive or bordering towards copyright infringement, with which they simply brush off any cease-and-desist letters they receive from companies such as Disney and the Church of Scientology among others.[2][3]

History

[edit]

Blind

[edit]

In late-1989, Mark Gonzales approached Rocco with the desire to be involved in his own company. Gonzales was riding for Vision, which was the largest skateboard company at the time. Between Santa Cruz and Powell Peralta. Gonzales and Rocco decided to name the company Blind, in contrast to Gonzales' former sponsor. Jason Lee, who was, at the time, a World Industries team member, assisted with the development of the brand.[4]

Plan B

[edit]

In 1991, wanting to break from H-Street, co-founder Mike Ternasky formed the company Plan B with an exclusive production and distribution alliance with World Industries. In the deal, Plan B marketed itself from San Diego while World Industries did the rest, paying a royalty fee to Plan B.[citation needed]} Mike Ternasky was able to convince perennial freestyle world champion[citation needed] Rodney Mullen to switch to street skating thus becoming a member of the Plan B team.[citation needed]

In September 1993, Rick Howard defected with seven other riders from the fold of World Industries and started Girl. Mike Ternasky was killed in a car accident in 1994.[5] Plan B and World Industries parted ways in 1997, and was run by Danny Way and Colin McKay, closing its doors shortly thereafter in 1998. In March 2005, Plan B was resurrected by team member and part-owner, Danny Way.

Restructure and growth

[edit]

The years of 1996 to 1999 were years of significant restructuring and explosive growth for the company, led by the newly appointed executives, and subsequent shareholders, CEO Frank Messman and CFO Scott Drouillard. By the end of 1998, World Industries and Blind had achieved the status of number one and number two brands in skateboard hardgoods.[citation needed] This was in large part due to the re-positioning of the brands with Marc McKee's hugely popular cartoon characters of Devil Man, Flame Boy and Wet Willy for World Industries, and the "Blind Reaper" for Blind.[citation needed].

Kubic Marketing

[edit]

In October 1998, Steve Rocco and his then five other shareholder partners (including Rodney Mullen, Frank Messmann, and Scott Drouillard), sold a 70% majority interest of the company to an outside private equity group, SPC, while maintaining all key management and employees.[citation needed] The company was valued at $29 million at the point of sale.[6] A parent company emerged by the name of Kubic Marketing ("Kubic") which owned World Industries and Dwindle Distribution.[7]

In 1999, the parent company Kubic bought the then-largest retailer (catalog and internet) CCS in the skateboard industry for $21 million. In 2000, due to financial issues, the company sold CCS to Alloy, a publicly listed company for approximately $50 million.

Globe International

[edit]

In 2002, Globe International Limited, an Australian public company, purchased all companies of Kubic, including World Industries.[8][9]

i.e. Distribution

[edit]

On June 25, 2007, Globe International Limited sold the World Industries brand to i.e. Distribution.[10]

As of February 2014, World Industries continues to sponsor a team of skateboarders; however, an official promotional flyer appeared on February 6, 2014, following the addition of a skateboard deck line to team rider Anthony Shetler's clothing brand "All I Need" (AIN). The flyer states: "Shetler and Timmy Knuth will have pro models," but as of February 20, 2014, both Shetler and Knuth remain on the World Industries website as team members, and no further information has been released.[11][12]

Golden Viking Sports

On August 10, 2014, World Industries was purchased by GVS America, a subsidiary that is wholly owned by INA Sports Inc. & FGL Sports Ltd.[13] Financial details of the purchase were not disclosed to the public.

Team

[edit]
  • Andrew Cannon
  • Anthony Shetler
  • Timmy Knuth
  • Derek Fukuhara
  • Matt Mendenhall
  • Mike Franklin
  • Billy Davenport[12]

The Man Who Souled the World

[edit]

In 2007, Whyte House Productions released The Man Who Souled the World, a documentary about Steve Rocco and the creation of World Industries, as well as his other skateboard related companies and ventures.[14] The film release was accompanied by a skateboard art exhibition (featuring Marc McKee's art) titled, "Censorship is Weak as F##k."

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Who We Are". GVS America. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  2. ^ "10 Banned Board Graphics". doseskateboarding.com. 2022-02-25. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  3. ^ "Classic Ads: World Industries". BOARDWORLD. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
  4. ^ "Behind the Boards: A look at the Blind Skateboards Heritage Re-Issue Decks". Shredz Shop. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  5. ^ "Plan B honors Mike Ternasky posthumously". ESPN.com. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  6. ^ Michna, Ian (September 23, 2014). "The History of World INdustries and Its $29 Million Dollar Sale". Jenkem. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  7. ^ Gellene, Denise (June 21, 2000). "Free-Wheeling Skateboard Firm Trying to Roll Into Mainstream". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  8. ^ biz_editor (5 July 2002). "GLOBE BUYS KUBIC". Transworld Business. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 9 September 2012. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ Earnest, Leslie (June 22, 2002). "Australian Firm to Buy Skateboard Company". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  10. ^ "Jenkem Buys World Industries". Jenkem Magazine. 3 Sep 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  11. ^ TWS (6 February 2014). "All I Need Premiere & Board Line". Transworld Skateboarding. Grind Media. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  12. ^ a b "Home". World Industries. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  13. ^ "World Industries Acquired By Golden Viking Sports | SGB Media Online". sgbonline.com. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  14. ^ The Man Who Souled the World at IMDB
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=World_Industries&oldid=1249666336"